How Recruiters Can Attract Passive Instructional Design Candidates

According to LinkedIn, somewhere around 70% of the global workforce is made up of passive talent who aren't actively job-searching. On top of this, more than half of all adults who are currently employed are open to new career opportunities. This is is a golden opportunity for recruiters who are seeking skilled Instructional Designers. Are you ready to hire? Post an Instructional Design advertisement here!

Passive talent is out there, you just need to know how to find it. You also need to know how to approach potential candidates whom you believe are passive. You don’t want to do it the wrong way and potentially scare the talent off from ever considering working for your company again. Step away from traditional recruiting techniques when approaching passive Instructional Design talent and follow the 7 tips outlined in this article:

1. Evaluate Skills, Not Jobs

You need to think outside the box when approaching passive Instructional Design candidates. Stop looking at the job titles the candidates hold and the requirements of those jobs. Instead, you need to focus on evaluating the candidates based on their job skills and knowledge of the profession. It’s possible you could find candidates who not only create courses, but also teach them for organizations.

2. Use Connections Within The Industry

The old cliche "it’s not what you know, but who you know" is very important when it comes to approaching passive candidates for your open Instructional Designer position. You are bound to come across some mutual connections between those you know in the industry and passive candidates with whom you’d like to connect. Ask to be introduced to these passive candidates by your mutual connection. It goes a long way in showing the candidate that you took time to be introduced by a connection and not just introduce yourself.

3. Tailor An Introductory Message

As you prepare to introduce yourself to a passive candidate, you should tailor the introductory message accordingly. Don’t send a generic message via LinkedIn or email. Once you are introduced by a mutual connection you need to craft an original message to send. Do a little research into the candidate so you can find out something about them regarding their job. Refer to your mutual connection or discuss an item from their profile related to the profession. This goes a long way towards building trust and grasping their attention.

4. Explain How They Benefit

When speaking with a passive candidate about an open Instructional Design position, don’t just talk about the position itself. You should talk about how the candidate will benefit from joining your company. You need to tell them why they should be interested in your position. What is it about the job that will mesh with their personal experiences? Talk about aspects of the job that can be linked to responsibilities they have in their current job or ones they’ve held in the past. Even though this might sound like a sales pitch, you can work around that feeling by talking about how they can take their career to the next level by joining your company.

5. Discover A Candidate’s Desires

The longer you speak with a candidate the more you will get to know about them. This will help you figure out what it is a candidate desires for their career. Many candidates simply look for the financial benefit of the profession. Others still value the idea of a job well done. Then, there are those who value the training and benefits of development in the eLearning industry.

You need to be mindful of which generation candidate you are speaking with when learning about a candidate. Are you discussing with a Millennial candidate? Are you speaking with a Baby Boomer candidate? Are you speaking with a Gen-X candidate? It makes the difference when trying to discover a candidate’s desires.

6. Keep In Touch With The Candidate

Do your best to keep in touch with the candidate even if they turn down your offer of employment initially. Just be sure you don’t turn into a 'stalker' by doing so. You can make this happen by sending an occasional email or commenting once in a while on a social media post they make. Consider sending a message every couple of months that includes updates from the industry, possible job opportunities, and new ideas for eLearning courses.

7. Offer Positive Feedback

Building a relationship with a passive candidate takes time and effort. It includes offering positive feedback much like a cheerleader. When a passive candidate reaches a milestone in their career be sure to congratulate them. Share their professional social media posts to help them gain more exposure.